Large tents were discovered at the suspected military camp in White River, Mpumalanga. Picture: Supplied/Saps
Police minister Senzo Mchunu says an alleged illegal military camp in Mpumalanga was not compliant and 95 Libyans found there are in the country illegally.
The foreign nationals were arrested on Friday morning after police raided the site in White River. Firearms, military equipment, cocaine, dagga, and other illegal substances were reportedly confiscated.
There is reportedly a gym and shooting range on the private land, which Mchunu said on Saturday was not being used for its intended purposes as a training facility for security guards.
He confirmed that the facility was both a security guard training company that was not compliant and a military camp training militia.
“The facility here is legal but under further scrutiny but what is going on here is not compliant. There is a gap between what has been applied for and what is going on here.
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“When you apply for a facility like this, you will follow certain compliances. When the certificate was issued these were satisfied. The investigation reveals that since then there has been a gap between the basis on which the application was granted and what is happening here”.
“All indications are pointing to this being more of a military training facility than an ordinary security training centre. That is certain.
“If you like, wholly military and partially security. That is a concern.”
National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola confirmed that legal firearms were found but they did not appear to have been used.
“It is a certified training service provider and the weapons are legal for training, but there is no evidence that these weapons were used at all”.
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Mchunu denied that police were being trained at the facility.
He said the owner would be arrested if implicated in ongoing investigations.
Mchunu said the Libyans were in police custody and were in the country illegally.
“The process of visa applications was violated which is being identified.
“It is clear that they are here illegally because their applications had violations. To that effect, we want them out of the country as soon as possible.”
He said talks between SA and Libyan officials would likely follow in the coming days.
“There are indications that the Libyan government may want to talk to South Africa about this, but we are not there yet. These may be confined to the presidency.”
